Living Alone and Loneliness

Identifying Living Arrangements That Heighten Risk for Loneliness in Later Life: Evidence From the U.S. National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project
Emily Anne Greenfield and David Russell
Journal of Applied Gerontology published 13 April 2010, 10.1177/0733464810364985
http://jag.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/0733464810364985v1

This study examines the risk factors of loneliness of living alone. It found that men had a greater feeling of loneliness than women when living alone. However, living with children without a significant other was the source of greater loneliness for women.

When my father in-law moved into an Alzheimer's facility, my mother in-law became very despondent. She began to have more problems with dementia and bladder control. Upon discussion she felt that she would like to move into a assisted facility in her neighborhood. Now that she is at the 'lodge', she is more cognitive and self sufficient. When we go to visit she is never in her apartment but off doing something.

As the result of the study suggests it is important to recognize gender differences in the living arrangements.

Women tend to be more social and it would be interesting to conduct a study between the amount of social interaction needs of men vs women in correlation to loneliness in living arrangements and the affects on cognitive ability. If you know of a study let me know.....